Apparatus for measuring hardness of cigarette ends

ABSTRACT

A cigarette ends testing device comprises a testing plunger which is pressed into an end of a cigarette through a bore in an end stop against which the cigarette is pressed to locate it, means such as suction means being arranged to hold the cigarette firmly in position when so located.

United States Patent Powell 1 Sept. 19, 1972 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING 3 3,237,764 3/ 1966 Kochalski ..73/8l X HARDNESS OF CIGARETTE ENDS 3,368,674 2/ 1968 Koeppe ..73/8l X 3,527,347 9/1970 Marradi ..73/81 X [72] 33;? 2,171,193 8/1939 Ruau ..198/25 [73] Assignee: Molins Machine Company Limited, Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser A London, England Assistant Examiner-C. E. Snee, Ill [22] Filed: May 18, 1970 Attorney-Craig, Antonelli and Hill [21] App1.No.: 38,038 [57] ABSTRACT A cigarette ends testing device comprises a testing [52] US. Cl. 4.73/81, 131/21 R plunger which is pressed into an end of a cigarette [51] Int. Cl. ..G01n 3/42,A24c 5/343 through a bore in an end stop against which the [58] Field of Search....l98l20 C, 25; 209/79; 131/21; cigarette is pressed to locate it, means such as suction 73/78, 81 means being arranged to hold the cigarette firmly in position when so located. [56] References Cited 5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure I UNITED STATES PATENTS M t 2,284,117 5/1942 Best "209/79 x APPARATUS FOR MEASURING HARDNESS OF CIGARETTE ENDS This invention is concerned with the testing of cigarette ends, namely the tobacco end in the case of a filter-tipped cigarette, by pressing the tobacco end face by means of a plunger or other device which moves axially into the cigarette by more than a predetermined amount in the case of a bad" end. The cigarettes may for example be carried transversely by a fluted drum during this testing procedure, and movement of the plunger by more than a predetermined amount into the cigarette may be arranged to activate a memory device which subsequently causes the faulty cigarette to be ejected.

A tester according to this invention has an end stop against which the tobacco end of the cigarette is held while an ends testing plunger is pressed into the end through a bore in the stop. The stop is engaged by the paper at the end of the cigarette and this locates the cigarette in position prior to inward movement of the plunger. By this means, the tester is not dependent upon the cigarette length being precisely controlled.

During testing, the cigarette may be pressed against the stop by a plunger which is urged against the filter end by a spring or by air pressure, or alternatively the plunger which moves the cigarette towards the end stop may press only lightly and may then automatically be locked in position prior to ends testing, for example by means of a ratchet or by a frictionally locking device, for example a laterally moving air-powered piston.

According to a preferred arrangement, each cigarette is pressed lightly against the end stop, for example by an air-poweredplunger, and is then held firmly in position by suction while the ends testing plunger is pressed into the tobacco end. An example of this arrangement is shown in the accompanying drawmg.

In the arrangement shown in the drawing there is a fluted drum 2 which carries cigarettes during testing. One cigarette 4 is shown in position with its filter end adjacent to a plunger 6. .This plunger presses the cigarette lightly against an end stop 8 formed with a bore containing a test plunger 10 which is coaxial with the cigarette. After the plunger 6 has moved the cigarette into position against the end stop 8, the cigarette is held firmly in position by suction applied through ports 12 from the center of the drum; this secures the cigarette in position while the plunger 10 is pressed against the tobacco end of the cigarette.

Any known device may be used to produce an appropriate signal whenever the plunger 10 moves into station at which a pneumatic or other output signal is filler portion urrazgi ded by a produced in turn by each plunger 10 whenever there is an inadequately filled cigarette end in position in the corresponding flute.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for testing ends of cigarettes having a apper, comprisi g er d t e stop means 01' mg a re erence pOSltlOll Ol testing of said cigarettes, means to move one end of the wrapper of each cigarette into contact with said end stop means, means to holdsaid end of the cigarette in contact with said end stop means, and a testing plunger arranged to be pressed into the filler portion of the cigarette adjacent to the end of the wrapper of the cigarette which is in contact with said end stop means while said wrapper end is held in contact with said end stop means.

2. A device according to claim 1, comprising a plunger arranged to be urged against the opposite end of the said cigarette to move the cigarette wrapper into contact with the end stop means.

3. A device according claim 1, comprising suction means arranged to hold the cigarette in. position while the testing plunger is pressed into the end of the cigarette.

4. A device for testing the firmness of the ends of the filler portions of cigarettes each of which comprises a filler portion surrounded by a wrapper, the device comprising means for conveying cigarettes during testing; stop means for abutting one end of the wrapper of each cigarette at the end of which the filler portion is to be tested; and plunger means for pressing the end of the filler portion of each cigarette while the corresponding end of the wrapper contacts the stop means, whereby the stop means serves as a reference plane, adjacent to the end of the cigarette wrapper, relative to which the plunger means'moves to a degree dependent upon the firmness of the corresponding end of the filler portion.

5. A device according to claim 4 including means for pushing each cigarette in the direction of its axis, relative to the conveying means, to abut said one end of the wrapper against the said stop means, and means for then securing the cigarette in position on the conveying means while the plunger presses the end of the filler portion.

PatentNo. 3,691, 823 I Dated e'ptefiiber 19, 1972 Inventor(s) F. W. Powell It is certified that error appears in tlie abo've identified'paten't and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Priority data should read:

--Application No. 25151, filed in Greai Britain on May 16,

Signed and sealed this lOtii day of-Jul 1973.

(SEAL) Attesc: I

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J R. '?y y Attest ng Officer Actlng Commissioner of Patents FORM Po-1o5o (10-69) v I v v i v uscoMM-Dc eos'lcs 

1. A device for testing ends of cigarettes having a filler portion surrounded by a wrapper, comprising end stop means for defining a reference position for the testing of said cigarettes, means to move one end of the wrapper of each cigarette into contact with said end stop means, means to hold said end of the cigarette in contact with said end stop means, and a testing plunger arranged to be pressed into the filler portion of the cigarette adjacent to the end of the wrapper of the cigarette which is in contact with said end stop means while said wrapper end is held in contact with said end stop means.
 2. A device according to claim 1, comprising a plunger arranged to be urged against the opposite end of the said cigarette to move the cigarette wrapper into contact with the end stop means.
 3. A device according claim 1, comprising suction means arranged to hold the cigarette in position while the testing plunger is pressed into the end of the cigarette.
 4. A device for testing the firmness of the ends of the filler portions of cigarettes each of which comprises a filler portion surrounded by a wrapper, the device comprising means for conveying cigarettes during testing; stop means for abutting one end of the wrapper of each cigarette at the end of which the filler portion is to be tested; and plunger means for pressing the end of the filler portion of each cigarette while the corresponding end of the wrapper contacts the stop means, whereby the stop means serves as a reference plane, adjacent to the end of the cigarette wrapper, relative to which the plunger means moves to a degree dependent upon the firmness of the corresponding end of the filler portion.
 5. A device according to claim 4 including means for pushing each cigarette in the direction of its axis, relative to the conveying means, to abut said one end of the wrapper against the said stop means, and means for then securing the cigarette in position on the conveying means while the plunger presses the end of the filler portion. 